Occupational Safety Training under NAMASTE Scheme Inaugurated in West Bengal: First Batch Begins for Sanitation Workers of Durgapur Municipal Corporation

The Occupational Safety Training Programme under the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme was inaugurated in West Bengal, beginning with sanitation workers of the Durgapur Municipal Corporation. Organised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment with technical support from CSIR-CMERI, the five-day programme aims to promote safe practices, mechanised sanitation, and eliminate hazardous manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks. In West Bengal, 7,630 sewer and septic tank workers have been profiled, and initiatives including distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits, ID cards, emergency database creation, and awareness workshops have been implemented. The training includes a 30-hour curriculum, assessments, certificates, and a stipend, with CSIR-CMERI proposed to act as an institutional centre for sanitation safety and mechanisation testing.